Please review your financial aid award overview carefully. It indicates the types and amounts of aid offered by Ball State and any additional action required on your part. You should also review what you need to do to accept an award or decline an award.

Your award indicates the most equitable offer that can be made to you based on the information you have provided and the funds available to the university. The award is subject to verification requirements and may be adjusted as tax returns and other documentation are received.

The availability of funds from federal and state programs is subject to congressional and Indiana General Assembly appropriations, and to changes in federal and state legislation and regulations.

Scholarship, grant, and loan funds are credited to your eBill. Federal Work Study (if earned through on-campus employment) is received in the form of a paycheck every two weeks, beginning approximately two weeks after you start employment.

The account summary will list the amount of tuition and fees for the semester, room and board (housing and dining) charges for students living in residence halls, and other miscellaneous charges you owe to the university.

As long as you have met all program requirements and are enrolled for the same number of hours for which your aid was awarded, financial aid to be received for that semester will be credited to the bill.

If the amount of your financial aid is greater than the amount you owe the university…

There will be a credit balance. At the beginning of each semester, a refund of the credit balance will be deposited into your bank account if you signed up for direct deposit or a check will be mailed to your local address.

If charges exceed the amount of financial aid…

You will need to make a payment to the Office of the Bursar
. If you are unable to pay the balance in full, you may use the university installment plan.

If financial aid is not credited to your account…

Payment is still due to the Bursar. Failure to pay the amount billed by the due date will result in the assessment of a late fee.

If aid is not credited to your account…

Check to be sure that you have completed all necessary paperwork required to receive your financial aid. The most common financial aid delays occur because the following items have been overlooked:

additional information requested by Financial Aid and Scholarships has not been submitted

the number of hours for which you are enrolled does not match the number of hours for which financial aid was awarded

a signed master promissory note is not on file with the Direct Loan Program if you are receiving a Federal Direct Stafford or PLUS Loan

loan entrance counseling required for first-time borrowers with the Federal Direct Stafford Loan program has not been completed

a signed master promissory note and/or Perkins Loan Acceptance Confirmation Form is not on file with the Federal Perkins Loan Program

you are not registered for the necessary number of hours to receive the funds awarded. (Most funds require at least 6 hours per semester; however, some scholarships and state grants require 12 hours per semester.)

When these items are resolved, aid will be credited to your account, provided you meet all eligibility requirements. If your account is not correct by the time you arrive on campus for classes, you should contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships to resolve the problem.

Any funds received for a semester after the first day of class or for a previous semester will be credited to your eBill immediately if you meet program requirements. Financial aid will pay any authorized charges that appear on your university account.

If this creates a credit balance, a financial aid refund will be deposited into your bank account if you signed up for direct deposit or mailed to your local address. Any reduction in financial aid will be reflected in your account.

Payments for tuition, fees, housing, and dining services are due each semester by dates determined by the university Bursar. You can pay your tuition, fees, and housing and dining (also known as room and board) for the semester in one payment or by use of the installment plan.

Financial aid can impact your or your parents’ income taxes in a number of ways.

For your reference, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provides tax information specifically for students. Plus, there are federal requirements regarding verifying information and confidentiality issues that you will want to be aware of.

Our office is required to refer for investigation to the Office of the Inspector General or to state or local law enforcement agencies any instance in which our review of Title IV aid applications indicates that an applicant may have engaged in fraud or other criminal misconduct in connection with the application.
The following examples are given in the regulations as instances that should be referred to the appropriate authorities:

false claims of independent student status

false claims of citizenship

use of false identities

forgery of signatures or certifications

false statements of income

failure to file a federal or state income tax return when required

According to the U.S. Department of Education, simple errors resulting from omission or misunderstanding are not considered evidence of fraud.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), also known as the Buckley Amendment, is federal legislation that guarantees students age18 and older access to their educational records and limits release of such information without students’ written consent.

Educational records are defined as those records directly related to a student that are maintained by the university or by a person acting for the university. Under FERPA, you have the right to inspect your financial aid record. Information may be inspected and reviewed by you, and copies of such information will be given to you on request. If you wish to obtain access to your financial aid record, you must complete a Student Request for Access to Educational Records form and schedule an appointment with our office to review the records.

The Tax Reform Act of 1986 defined scholarships and grants received by students, minus fees, tuition, and costs of books and supplies as taxable income.

We strongly urge you to keep complete and accurate records and receipts of all your expenditures for books, supplies, tuition and fees. You must also keep billing statements, award notices, and records of scholarships and grants received. It is your responsibility to keep these records for reference and documentation. Questions should be directed to the Internal Revenue Service or a tax expert.

The American Opportunity tax credit and the Lifetime Learning tax credit are available to help offset the cost of higher education by reducing the amount of your income tax. Consult your tax advisor or the IRS regarding eligibility for these tax credits.

Federal law provides that a student who has been convicted of an offense under any federal or state law involving the possession or sale of a controlled substance during a period of enrollment for which the student was receiving financial aid shall not be eligible to receive any federal or institutional grant, loan, or work assistance during the period beginning on the date of such conviction and ending after the interval specified in the following table.

If convicted of an offense involving:

Possession of a Controlled Substance

Ineligibility Period

First Offense

1 year

Second Offense

2 years

Third Offense

Indefinite

Sale of a Controlled Substance

Ineligibility Period

First Offense

2 years

Second Offense

Indefinite

A student whose eligibility has been suspended based on a conviction for possession or sale of a controlled substance may resume eligibility before the end of the ineligibility period if:

the student satisfactorily completes a drug rehabilitation program that:

complies with the criteria prescribed in the federal regulations; and

includes two unannounced drug tests;

the student successfully passes two unannounced drug tests conducted by a drug rehabilitation program that complies with the criteria prescribed in the federal regulations; or

the conviction is reversed, set aside, or otherwise rendered nugatory.

Tax credits or deductions may be available to you or your parents while you are attending Ball State.

Below are some common ones, but we emphasize that you should check with your family, the IRS, or a tax expert for the latest information and information that applies to your situation.

Tax credits and deductions

Two tax credits that you should be aware of are the Hope Scholarship Tax Credit and the Lifetime Learning Tax Credit.

They both allow you to subtract, on a dollar-for-dollar basis, the amount of the credit from your total federal income tax bill. This is different from income tax deductions, which are subtracted from your income before your taxes are calculated.

As a result, tax credits usually allow for greater total savings than tax deductions.

In accepting a financial aid award from Ball State University, you acknowledge certain terms and conditions.

I understand that:

My financial aid eligibility is determined in accordance with laws, regulations, requirements and appropriations (existing and anticipated) of the U.S. Congress, the Indiana State Legislature, Ball State University and other donors.

My financial aid eligibility is subject to adjustment or cancellation in the event changes occur in laws, regulations, appropriations, verification, discovery of data errors, receipt of additional financial aid, enrollment status or residency status during the period of my award.

I need to notify the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships (OFAS) of the sources and amount of my financial assistance received from other sources including scholarships, loans, assistantships, fellowships, etc. which do not appear on my financial aid awards. I further understand that if additional assistance reduces my eligibility, an adjustment in my awards may be necessary. This adjustment may include the return of loan funds or the necessity to repay other types of assistance already received.

My cost of attendance and financial aid eligibility are based on full-time, main campus enrollment. I also understand that I must notify the OFAS if I am enrolled less than full-time or not enrolled in any main campus courses. My financial aid eligibility may be adjusted when I notify the OFAS of any changes.

My cost of attendance will be reviewed after the start of the term if I have new Federal Stafford Loan originations or adjustments. Any cost of attendance adjustment may require the return of loan funds or the necessity to repay other types of assistance already received.

I understand that it is my responsibility to monitor my borrowing totals and limits.Loans are subject to adjustment or cancellation based on federal annual and/or cumulative limits.

My cost of attendance and financial aid eligibility are based on housing information provided on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and my residency status as set by the institution. I understand that I must notify the OFAS if my housing or residency status changes. My financial aid eligibility may be adjusted when I notify the OFAS. The adjustment may include the return of loan funds or the necessity to repay other types of assistance already received.

My aid eligibility is based on the financial information provided by me and/or my family, and that it is subject to adjustment or cancellation if changes occur or if errors are subsequently discovered.

To receive financial aid, I must be making satisfactory academic progress toward my degree as described in the “Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.”

I must maintain the enrollment level required for each aid program listed on my Financial Aid Awards.

If I withdraw from the University, stop attending classes before the end of the term or do not begin attendance in any classes, I may be expected to repay all or a portion of my aid funds. I agree to follow Ball State University withdrawal procedures.

I must meet repayment obligations on any educational loan and repay any financial aid funds due as a result of withdrawal or an overaward situation or I will not be eligible for future financial aid and I may have a hold placed on my University records.

No financial aid funds will be disbursed until I have met all eligibility requirements and provided all requested information.

If I am a transfer student I understand aid eligibility is subject to adjustment or cancellation based on information received regarding aid usage at my previous institution.

I will use financial aid to pay only education related expenses while I attend Ball State.

I understand that the OFAS communicates updates and important reminders via e-mail to my Ball State e-mail account.

I certify that I am not incarcerated and will notify the OFAS should I become incarcerated in a state or federal institution.